The present invention refers the field of data and telecommunications, and more specifically to an apparatus in which a number of switch elements are combined into forming a larger scale switch.
When designing and operating communication networks and components, there are many situations in which scalability when it comes to switching capacity and flexibility is of great advantage. The option of handling smaller switch elements that, if necessary or desired, may be combined into forming larger switches with greater capacity allows greater design freedom and simplifies product logistics.
When for example using a 4×4 (4 input ports and 4 output ports) switch element as building block, an 8×8, as wll as a 16×16 or 32×32 switch can be built based thereupon. Thus, instead of designing, producing, and logistically handling and supporting four different swtch architectures, only one scaleable architecture would require such attention.
Similarly, scalability when operating products in larger networks has the advantage of lowering operating cost and simplifying design and operation as one product can be configured for use in many different situations having different switching requirements.
A disadvantage with prior art schemes for combining switch elements into forming lager scale switches is that they a) often require complex interconnecting and configuration schemes, b) require internal modification of the individual switch elements, or c) do not combine the individual switch element into a switch that offers non-blocking operation.